Soccer lesson: UEFA Euro 2012

Oh, is Germany ever soccer crazy right now! They (not me, I'm a clueless American) are anxiously awaiting the start of the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament. What's that, you say? You're an American who doesn't understand anything having to do with soccer either? Unless I hear the specific words "World Cup", I haven't a clue. And even then, my knowledge extends more to how to throw a successful World Cup backyard barbeque and, thanks to 2010, how to properly annoy everyone with the use of a Vuvuzela than it does to the actual sporting event.

For the last, ohhh I don't know, every day of my working life here I hear talk of soccer, er sorry 'football', over the lunch table. And between desks. And in the elevators. And on newspapers. Really, one cannot escape it. I'm used to being well informed about sports. Over the last year while I've been living abroad not only have I fallen completely out of touch with American sports, but the two sports that seem to be popular here - football and handball? - are two over which I know nearly nothing. So I've done a little research for my own sake and possibly to help keep you from looking like an idiot if you happen to bump into a really enthused European.

Basics: UEFA stands for Union des Associations Européennes de Football. The name comes from Switzerland. The UEFA's 'About Me' page says, "The organization is one of 6 continental confederations of world football's governing body FIFA*." There are 53 total associations in UEFA.
*FIFA! As in World Cup! I know this one!

Ok, so what is exactly going on in June that has everyone so pumped? That, my friends, is the UEFA Euro 2012. From June 8 until the finals on July 1, sixteen teams will be competing in this final tournament hosted this year at 8 different locations throughout Poland and Ukraine.

That's right, this is the final tournament. The tournament really started in 2010 when 51 entrants were drawn into 9 groups. Matches were played on a home/away basis (I think this has something to do with the points system?) between 3 September 2010 and 11 October 2011. From that play, 9 winners and the runner up with the best record against top 5 sides (I don't know what that means) in their pool qualified directly for this finals. The rest just... I don't know, snuck their way in, maybe.

Germany is in Group B for the tournament. There are Groups A-D. They are grouped with the Netherlands, Denmark, and Portugal. Their first game is June 9 at 8:45pm. I'm really looking forward to it because that's right about the time I go swimming, so the pool will probably be pretty empty. Lane to myself! What's up!

I'll be pulling for Germany, not because I live here, but because I hear that the Portugese language is even more grammatically confusing than German, and I refuse to support such a thing.

As your treat for reading, or perhaps skimming through, that whole thing, here is a picture of the Rhine River as seen from the Seilbahn in Assmannshausen, Germany!

Oui Oui

It is imperative that I tell you right now...

I'm in Paris!

How about that?! I have never before been to Paris, and last night, after a full day of life plus then travel here, I got to see the sights. THE sights. There I was at midnight in Paris staring at the Arc d'Triumph down the way to my right, the enormous building that is the Louvre to my left, and the illuminated Eiffel Tower in the distance in front of me. Even the moon seemed spectacularly French last night. Of course, I hadn't brought my camera, but maybe that allowed me to really stop and soak in the stunning architecture going on in this city. Ah Paris, so far, j'taime.

Here is what I didn't really think about but it's kind of a big deal. I do not know French. Any French. This didn't dawn on me until I stepped foot in the city. Remembering the je m'appelle song from the 4th grade does not constitute being able to get by in a French speaking area. I know, yes, it's Paris, so I can walk around asking for things in English and it will be no problem, but I don't want to do that! I would really appreciate being able to order a g-dang coffee in the local language, please and thank you (merci...?). So I'm on a mission. Learn as much French as is humanly possible in the next 36 hours. Readddddddyyyyyy? GO!

So, I really appreciate the German skills that I did have before moving to Germany. Even the most basic skills are light years better than knowing nothing. One can get by with basic words, mumbles, and gestures fairly easily. Not that I mumble. I do seem to be improving my charades game though...

Ok, I'm in France. I'm going to go do Frenchy things.

Love always!